Sutton North traffic issues – progress report!

Progress reports on several roads in the Sutton North ward were discussed at the Sutton Local Committee last night (4th September), namely Vermont Road, Sutton Common Road, Vicarage Road, Bushey Road and Collingwood Road.

Heritage-style lamposts for Sutton Garden Suburb and an update on crime and anti-social behaviour were also discussed.

Councillors have previously carried out a house-to-house survey of residents concerning parking pressure and the difficulty facing refuge trucks and fire engines to gain access if blocked by parked vehicles.

We also met residents at the Dorothy Pettingell House sheltered housing complex to talk about their concerns. You can read up on this with my previous blog article here.

As a result, officers drew up plans to install new double-yellow lines and create extra parking spaces by removing some of the grass verges. We were about to consult Vermont Road residents and Dorothy Pettingell House when it was pointed out that the Council has a policy of not removing grass verges.

At this point we decided to change the policy! As a member of the Environment and Neighbourhood Committee (ENC) I will be arguing very strongly that they change the grass verge policy for exceptional circumstances – such as Vermont Road! This issue is on the agenda of the next ENC next Thursday, 13th September.

As soon as this change is approved (fingers-crossed!) we will be going ahead with a full-scale consultation with options for improving parking and access to Vermont Road.

I’ve written several times about efforts to reduce speeding on Sutton Common Road. The last article can be found here.

The flashing LED lights warning drivers when they are doing over 30mph appears to have made a slight difference but not nearly enough. It is still extremely difficult for older residents to cross the road to catch the local bus.

As a result, councillors went back to the idea of a pedestrian crossing on a raised platform and the was a recent official consultation of those households immediately affected. The vast majority were in favour.

This follows a previous door-to-door survey of every house in Sutton Common Road which found massive concern over speeding and overwhelming support for a pedestrian crossing.

The only question now is whether to have the pedestrian crossing on a raised platform or flat. We are currently talking to a resident very near the proposed crossing who has particular concerns about a raised platform. However I fully expect the crossing to be built within the next few months, and certainly before April next year.

Vicarage Road

Earlier this summer local councillors and residents carried out a door-to-door survey of parking issues in Vicarage Road following complains that residents were finding it difficult to park.

The survey found a high level of concern. As a result, the council have drawn up a plan to create extra parking spaces by turning a motorcycle bay into an all-vehicle bay; reducing the length of “pass points”; and turning visitors bays into joint visitor-residents bays.

We hope the changes will help alieviate the parking stress, however councillors promised to return to the issue if things are still bad after the changes are implemented.

Bushey Road

I recieved a complaint from a resident about the danger of crossing the road next to the bus garage. I agreed wholeheartedly with him and recently had a site meeting with a transport officer to investigate where such a pedestrian crossing could go.

The dynamics of the layout restrict options for a crossing because of the three entry-exit points for buses. However there are a couple of possibilities. The council will first observe which points most people cross, especially children after school.

I promised to bring this matter back to the next Local Committee with a progress report.

Collingwood Road

Elderly residents on the south side of Collingwood Road have told councillors about their difficulties crossing the road to get to their day centre at Milton House. I agree entirely with them, something needs to be done.

I promised to meet senior officer Paul Blunt and residents to talk about options and bring it back to the next committee with a progress report.

Sutton Garden Suburb

Chris Carter from the Sutton Garden Suburb residents association requested an extension of the area covered by heritage lamposts. This was agreed subject to the money being found.

He also requested that we investigate whether any money can be found to implement 20mph speed limits on Woodend, Greenhill and Aultone Way as previously discussed.

Again, the committee were agreeable and I am certainly in favour of this.

Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour

Local neighbourhood police have stepped up foot patrols along Angel Hill and Chaucer House.

There has also been a 50% reduction in night-time crime and disorder in the past year.